If you are a serious woodworker or even an avid amateur, you probably have some form of dust collection for your shop tools. We all know that dust in the lungs is a bad thing, especially if the dust is from manufactured or composite woods. Dust collectors are good at keeping dust levels down in the workplace, except for when you need to clean them out. Those filters get blocked up with so much loose dust that when you remove them, the dust goes everywhere. You almost need an extra dust collector running when clean out your dust collector. Thankfully, Jet engineers have harnessed the ever-popular power of tornadoes and their cyclonic action to do all of the dirty work so we don't have to. Jet has just come out with a new Vortex Cone dust collection technology that more effectively separates the dust, and therefore keeps your filter cleaner longer. Check out the impressive results in the video below.

If you want to know more about getting a mini contained tornado for your own, check out VortexCone.com

When do you ever open up a new can of paint or stain, and finish the entire can in one go? Unless you are a professional, the chances are pretty good that you rarely finish the full thing in one day. So what ends up happening is you seal up the can, and put it on the shelf to used at a later date. After a few projects have gone by, you turn to your dust covered can of finish and open it up to find a hard skin over the surface.

What a waste. If you had purchased a can of Bloxygen you could have prevented your can of finish from turning on you. Bloxygen uses the magic of Argon gas to provide a barrier between your oil based finishes and the oxygen that causes it to go bad over time. Argon is one of the noble gases, which we learned in school, have very low chemical reactivity. A 2-second blast of Bloxygen for quart cans, or a 4-second blast for gallon cans is all that is needed to save your finishes from premature death. Best of all, Bloxygen can be used any other products as well, such as epoxy, some types of glue, wood filler, polyurethane, gun powder and more.

Each can of Bloxygen cost around $13 and can save the lives of 75 quart sized cans. You can get Bloxygen from Rockler or paint stores, and because the gas is completely safe, it can be purchased online and shipped. Be sure to head on past the break to see Bloxygen in action.

Bloxygen
Rockler - Bloxygen

Bosch has recently announced a new Saw blade that is part of their DareDevil line. The blade is designed to perform better and last longer than other blades on the market, and if they are anything like their DareDevil Spade bits, framers really having something to look forward too. The boost in performance is due partly to features like Bosch's C3 Micrograin Carbide teeth, which are said to not only stay sharper longer, but they can also resist impact damage. Other features include a special coating on the blade that helps to reduce binding in wet or treated lumber, and an extra-hard steel plate that resists bending and deflection. The harder plate also allows the DareDevil Blades to have larger body slots, which are the key to keeping heat down.

"This blade is designed to start sharper and stay sharper ? that's beyond a tagline, it's what framers asked for," said Chris Carlson, Bosch group product manager, circular saw blades. "Due to the number and variety of cuts in a building project, contractors need a blade that cuts smoothly to avoid fatigue and splintering. The hardened thin-kerf plate and body slots deliver durability and a straight, true cut."

I love the Bosch DareDevil Spade bits, so I hope the new saw blades live up to the standards that they have set. The DareDevil Blade is available now at local home centers in a 7-1/4" size 24T, with 10 and 12-inch sizes coming in early 2012.

Smart phones are not only really popular, it seems like everyone and their Grandma owns one (except me), but they are also super handy to have around. With the almost limitless number of apps available to us, these once business only phones have now become popular tools among tradesman, and can be found on every jobsite around the Country. There is one problem though, these high priced smart phones are not really designed to handle the toils of everyday construction use. My Friend and his BB phone know this all to well. After a number of short 3-foot falls, his phone was unreadable, inaudible, and functioned at only around 25%. Now I am sure many of you are more responsible with your phones, but even the most careful have accidents.

What we really need are phones that are built with toughness in mind. Phones for construction workers, ranchers, or outdoors men, people that do more than just sit around all day. We need phones like... Casio's G'zOne Commando? Casio might not be the first brand that comes to mind when thinking of smart phones, but try as I might, I could not come across any other phone that matches what the Casio G'zOne line of phones offer in regard to toughness. So how tough is the G'zOne Commando? Well, it is rated for complete water immersion, driving rain, dust, falls, vibrations, humidity, -13 to 185 degree temperatures, low pressure, salt fog, and solar radiation. The only other phone that is built with toughness in mind is the Motorola Defy+, but this phone is not available in the US.

So when you buy your next smart phone are you going to go tough, or just stick with the regular models and be careful? I think I will stick with my dumb phone until it brakes, and make up my mind then.

Casio G'zOne
G'zOne Commando - Verizon

Did you know you can make round tenons on square stock by using a simple jig and a table saw with dado? FineHomebuilding.com has a video that shows us how simple the jig is, and how easy the whole process is as well. Check out the video and see for yourself.

It looks like the most important step to getting accurate roundness, is to make sure that your square stock fits snugly into the hole on the two guiding blocks. The cool thing about the setup is that you can adjust the tenon depth in a matter of seconds. Another thing that you might be able to try, is making your own dowels. Get rid of the table saw fence depth stop and add two more guides with fitted holes on the other side. Now you can feed you material straight through and make dowel rod out of the material you already have on hand. This could be dangerous though, so try at your own risk.

FineHomebuilding

Jay over at Cop Tool put together a pretty simple and probably pretty accurate test, pitting the Bosch 2.6Ah batteries (BAT618) against the new Bosch 3.0Ah batteries (BAT619G). Now why did Bosch and the other manufacturers take years to start using 3.0Ah batteries, when Makita has been using them since they first introduced the world to Lithium-ion tools all those years ago? Well, I don't have an answer to this. Whatever the reason, Bosch now has batteries with a rating of 3.0Ah, and have also packed in a few other features. The new High Capacity or HC (as Bosch calls them) battery packs have also been engineered to work in super cold working conditions. One of the complaints of lithium-ion battery packs over the years, is that they do now work in cold temps, thus leaving workers in cold weather states with poor performing tools. In some cases the tools would not work at all. Bosch's HC battery packs have a low temp rating of 20 degrees Fahrenheit, which should solve most of those cold weather issues.

Another nice feature of the HC batteries is the built in fuel gauge. Now this is a feature that might only get used a fraction of the time, but it will save you time throughout their life. Now first thing in the morning you can check your battery status, and start with the battery with the most juice, and put the other on the charger.

To see how these two batteries battle it out, you will have to head on over to Cop Tool to see the final results. *Hint* The new HC batteries last longer.

Via CopTool

We can always count on Dremel to bring us some cool new tools that make diy and hobby projects even easier. Up first is a new Rotary tool, the tool that really put Dremel into household across America. The new Dremel 3000 rotary brings us a few great new features and might just make some of you past Dremel users long for a 3000 upgrade. The first feature is something we have all been wishing for since we got our very first Dremel all those years ago, on board wrench storage. The 3000 is the first Dremel to feature the EZ Twist accessory changing system. EZ Twist is a new design feature that has the changing wrench built right in to the nose cap of the Dremel. That is right, no more searching for that little wrench. No tool-less changing yet, but we are getting closer. The other most notable feature of the 3000 is its size. It is noticeably smaller then previous versions while still retailing a high 32,000 RPM speed with a 1.2 amp rating. Other design changes are said to make hold the Dremel like a pencil easier then before.

Dremel's other new tool is a corded mini saw called the Dremel Saw-Max. I can't find an exact size on the blade for the Saw-Max, but it has a max cutting depth of 3/4-inch. Using a verity of different saw blades, the Saw-Max can cut though a number of household material, such as wood, laminate flooring, plastics, drywall, tile, and even sheet metal. The Saw-Max has a variable depth adjustment guide to make cutting to the right depth easy, and a number of add-on accessories enable the saw to cut straight lines, as well as miter cuts.

The idea of a super small circular saw is intriguing to me, but it seems like this saw does the functions of other popular Dremel tools already on the market. The Dremel Multi-Max can do most of the cutting tasks of this saw, while their rotary tools can cut sheet metal and tile. The accessory guides do set the Saw-Max apart, but other circular saw have these as well. I am not sold on the Saw-Max, but if any of you can see a gap that this saw fills, please let us know in the comments below.

The Dremel 3000 will be available this September for between $55- $75. The Saw-Max will be available this October with a suggested retail price of $129.99.

We have seen a couple of combination miter/table saws now enjoying freedom in the U.K., one from Bosch with a table mounted on top of a miter saw, and one from Makita that flips to transform. Now it is DeWalt's turn to join in on the fun with their very own flipping combination transformation miter/table saw.

Storage, storage, storage, we never seem to have enough of it. Just when you think you are getting yourself organized, you turn around to find that you are not; at least that is how I feel. The problem is, good storage solutions are either hard to find, or they are expensive. So when I find a system that looks solid, and affordable, I feel it is my duty to share it with you.

The ShelfLinks system from 2x4basics looks like it fits all of the criteria I mentioned above. The system uses a combination of heavy duty structural resin ShelfLinks in conjunction with a few user supplied 2x4's. The 2x4's make up the legs and shelf planks of the system, while the ShelfLinks hold it all together. The design has the 2x4's running through the ShelfLinks, which are screwed in place, so the weight of the shelves are evenly distributed down the legs to the floor. The cool thing about this system is that it can be adjusted to fit your needs. The depth is set by the 16-inch size of the ShelfLinks, but the width can be adjusted up to 8-feet. Each shelf is rated up to 1000 lbs, but this is likely to depend on the quality of the wood you use.

The system is relatively inexpensive at $25 for 6 ShelfLinks, plus the cost of 2x4. So if you work in construction, you might be able to get a few jobsite leftovers, and save.

ShelfLinks via Hardware Aisle
Amazon

The trim router has always been a handy tool to have around the jobsite, and thanks to advancements in technology, these little guys have become more and more powerful over the years, at no cost to their compact size. Originally intended for only trimming laminate, these "Trim" routers are now powerful enough to handle many of the jobs of their bigger brother.

Rockler has obviously seen that the new generation of trim routers are being underutilized, and have come out with a new trim router table to bump them up to their true potential. The Rockler Trim Router Table is made out of 3/4-inch MDF that is wrapped in vinyl and sizes in at 11-1/2" x 15-1/2". The table top is pre-drilled to accept the included adjustable fence, and included 1/4-inch thick acrylic router base. The base has a router bit clearance of 1-1/2" and is pre-drilled to accommodate most trim routers. What you wont find with this router table is a router cabinet. The Rockler Trim Router Table is so small that it can simply be clamped to overhang off of a horizontal work surface. If you are on the jobsite, you can even use the tail gate on your truck.

If you want to put your little trim router to work, the Rockler Trim Router Table can be yours for $59.99. For an added $11.29 you can get the Rockler Dust Port and breath a bit better.

Rockler Trim Router Table